


In a Bind (WIP)

by witchyweeb



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, RinReiGisa - Freeform, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-14 15:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5748739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchyweeb/pseuds/witchyweeb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trans!Rei is trying to remain hidden which is exceedingly difficult when he joins the swim club, and only gets worse when he suddenly has two concerned and curious boyfriends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In a Bind (WIP)

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS BEING REWRITTEN. THE FINISHED FIXED ONE WILL BE POSTED WHEN IT'S DONE.

Rei was fourteen when she realized something was wrong. It started with the growth of her breasts. When her mom announced that it was time to get some bras, she locked herself in her room for the rest of the day and night, not even coming out to eat when her favorite was made for dinner. Her father assured her concerned mother that she was just afraid of growing up. But behind the closed door Rei stared at her small body in horror, trying desperately to squish down the small lumps on her chest. 

When she told her best friend she just looked at her like she had grown antlers. “You’re so lucky your boobs are growing! It means you’re really becoming a woman.” She was even more baffled when this prompted the young teenager to turn away and ignore her for the rest of the school day, burying her face in her arms. 

When Rei’s mom took her shopping for bras, the young girl digging her heels in and practically needing to be dragged out of the house, it wasn’t the cute designs that caught her attention like her mother had hoped it would. It was something in the next aisle over. They lacked the girlish designs, but looked like they went on your chest. When her mother found her fingering the cloth she read the tag and bit her lip. They were binders. Rather than introducing her daughter to womanhood by helping her pick out some nice bras, she helped her find the right size of the white garment and brought that home. She was worried, but Rei was ecstatic, hurrying up to her room and putting it on right away. 

In the coming years she would grow out of her binder and her mother would help her order new ones online, but neither of them broached the subject until Rei was about to enter her first year of high school. 

“Okaasan, Otousan, I don’t want to wear the girl’s uniform…”

Rei’s father frowned, “What do you mean, Rei? You have to wear the girl’s uniform. You’re a girl.”

Rei bit her lip and looked away, “I’m not sure I am.”

A tense silence settled over the room, broken by Rei’s mother sighing in relief.

She smiled at her child, “I suspected that might be the case.”

Rei’s father just raised one smooth, dark eyebrow, “What are the two of you talking about? You’re a girl, Rei. Unless I somehow missed some major change in your biology.”

Her mother smacked her husband’s shoulder and gave him a reprimanding look, “Gender is not defined by your anatomy.”

Rei glanced between them, speaking hesitantly, “It’s not?”  
This was an understandably confusing statement for the physician. 

Rei spoke up quietly, “The term they use in America is ‘transgender’. It means you don’t conform to the gender you were assigned at birth. I believe I am a trans boy.”

Rei’s dad scratched at his cheek and shrugged, “I’m not going to pretend to understand this. Perhaps I will in time, but if it’s what will make you happy - your mother and I will support you, son.”

The grin that stretched across Rei’s anxious features induced giggles from his mother as he bowed deeply.

“Thank you!” He squeaked.

His mother stood to press a kiss to his cheek, “Not everyone is going to be accepting. We can talk to the school, hopefully they will agree to let you wear the boy’s uniform and use the correct pronouns.” 

Rei nodded gravely and excused himself to hurry up to his room and tell his friends on tumblr. 

At fifteen years old, Rei started at Iwatobi High - a boy inside and on the school records. 

+++

Of course that all lead to where he stood right now, panicking as the Samezuka swim captain insisted he swim.

He had agreed to the joint practice only because he was interested in the swim club as a group of people, not as the swim club. Also Nagisa's begging face was painfully adorable and just not something that was easy to say “no” to.

"I don't have a swimsuit," he tried to excuse. 

The redhead immediately had a retort, telling him he could borrow one and before Rei could think of another excuse the small gray haired boy, Nitori-san, he reminded himself, was dragging him towards the locker rooms, Nagisa calling after them cheerfully. 

The lended swimsuit offered was a speedo. Rei stared at the offending article, panic rising. The heady scent of chlorine started to burn his nostrils and he shifted backwards subconsciously. 

"Rei-san? Are you okay?" Nitori was speaking, but it was hard to hear past the blood rushing in his ears. 

Rei dropped to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees and hiding his face. There was no escape. They would find out. That couldn't happen. It couldn't! Arranging things with the school was hard enough and only his good grades ensured the promise that he would not be outed to the students. His safety lied in his ability to keep his chest covered, he knew that. "Kids can be cruel," they would say as his eyes would swell and his nose bleed. 

Tears burned the edges of his eyes and he fought a sniffle. He heard a surprised squeak come from the Samezuka boy and rushing footsteps. He ignored it. Maybe if he stayed here long enough they would let it go? Or just tell them he couldn't swim? Surely, he could, he knew the concepts, but they didn't know that. 

A warm hand landed on his shoulder and he was aware of a small body crouched next to his. 

"Rei-chan? What's wrong?" Nagisa asked. 

Rei just shook his head and buried his face in his knees further. He actually liked this boy! He couldn't know the truth. Nagisa was nice, but there was no accounting for prejudice. 

"Can you tell me why you don't want to swim?" Nagisa requested softly, gently rubbing a hand down his back. 

Rei shook his head again and Nagisa sighed, rising to his feet. 

"I'll be right back," he assured. 

Rei waited anxiously for whatever Nagisa would bring. When he returned he heard another pair of footsteps and risked a glance upward to see the boy Nagisa kept calling Rin-chan. He winced. This boy would definitely not be accepting. 

Rin frowned, "Am I really that scary? He looks afraid just to be in the same room as me!" 

Nagisa sighed, "You're kind of mean Rin-chan, and Rei-chan's sensitive right now!" 

He kneeled back down next to his friend and brushed his hair from his face, "Rin-chan was going to leave practice early anyway so he's going to make sure you get home safe, okay?" 

Rei eyed the redhead carefully, before nodding slowly and pushing up his glasses, "That would be acceptable." 

Nagisa's whole face lit up in a grin and he ruffled Rei's hair aggravatingly, "I'll call you when practice is over!" 

He turned to Rin with a threatening look that really looked more like a disappointed mother, "Take good care of Rei-chan!" 

Rin rolled his eyes, but reached a hand down to Rei, helping him up. Rei blushed and nodded in thanks, quickly turning his head away. Rin hid a smile at the boy’s actions and lead him outside. 

The station wasn’t far from Samezuka, but they had to wait a little while for the right train to arrive. Rei stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a habit that reared up when he was feeling especially vulnerable about his identity. Rin stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth awkwardly. 

“So,” he coughed, “Why’d you join the swim club?”

Rei kept his eyes pointed at the tracks before him, “The members intrigued me,” after a moment he added, “And Nagisa-kun is hard to say no to.”

Rin snorted, “Yeah, he’s always been like that.”

Rei nodded, “I suspected as much. Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai seem very used to his antics.”

“They’ve been together for a while,” Rin said quietly.

Rei glanced back at him and rose one eyebrow, “And how do you know them?”

Rin blinked at him before swallowing and looking away, “We hung out in elementary school.”

Rei hummed, “But you’re too cool for them now, yes?”

With a fierce blush Rin stuttered, “Th-that’s not it. We’re just on different paths.”

Rei smirked, “Yes, it would appear so. You clearly have nothing in common.”

Rin grit his teeth, “Shut it, four-eyes.”

Rei just laughed, “I’ve been called worse.”

Before Rin could snap back the train skid to a stop in front of them and Rei stepped through the doors, bowing at Rin in thanks before turning away and pulling out a book to read on the ride.

Rin scoffed and spun on his heel to head back to Samezuka, shaking his head in irritation. Those Iwatobi idiots were nothing but trouble.


End file.
